


Sword and Shield

by LNewman2015



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2020-06-29 13:11:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19830922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LNewman2015/pseuds/LNewman2015
Summary: Born outside the walls of the last edge of humanity, Persephone Spring gets forced to the underground civilisation under the impression that she could never survive. To many she wouldn’t.“You could never survive on your own”“No body would even care”But she did. She carried on and made a name for herself and eventually found love, but that all will fall apart. After all, in this life, falling over your own feet is a sure sign of destruction to many.





	1. Chapter 1

THE year is 844, and the entirety of the remaining human race has been backed into a small corner of the earth; They are protected by three surrounding walls called Maria, Rose, and Sina. Why, you ask, are they needing to be protected? By giant man-eating humanoids called titans. Without fail, many people die by being eaten by titans and rarely, do the lucky few civilians survive an attack of one. But now, being hidden by walls, life became harder. Food shortages, riots, and overall lack of resources made it harder for everyone to cope. However underneath all of this, lied the underground city and within this underground civilisation was a group of notorious ruffians soared near to the ceiling whilst being chased by the military police. 

"Hey, we're being followed!" A blonde man yelled to his comrades, seemingly being the leader of this group. This group consisted of four people, two male and two female, "Gotta hand it to them, working at a time like this," one of the females, the youngest with reddish-magenta hair, mentioned. The special gear that they use to fly through the air is called vertical manoeuvring gear to which it uses gas as well as hooks to keep their bodies in the air. "There aren't that many today," the blonde responded, his name was Farlan. A slight scoff came from his left to which the other woman turned to him "You make that out to be a bad thing," this woman had ginger hair and a pale complexion going by the name of Persephone. Farlan chuckled "Nothing could be better." 

"Hmph, the just don't know when to stop do they?" Isabel, the red-head, stated only to exclaim "Hey Levi! Wasn't that cool what I just said?"

Now that all of our main people are introduced, lets continue.

Levi, the man nearest to the top of their formation, just kissed his teeth and instructed them each to go separate ways to keep them away from their base. Isabel going left, Farlan and Persephone going right, and Levi going straight ahead, they all directed the group of police away from each other. Sighing, Persephone grumbled "Things must really be boring topside for them to actually give a crap about us," but Farlan simply grabbed her hand and guided her to a lower path and held onto her waist as they neared to the ground "Yeah, but they don't seem like military police."

"I wonder if Levi figured it out too..."

SLAM

An officer split the two apart and caught the both of them before they went crashing head first into the ground. 'Shit, shit shit!' She thought, her legs buckling underneath her own weight.

"Let go you bitch!" The loud, colourful words of Isabel echoed within the alley they were all rounded up in, Levi already on his knees looking displeased in front of the leader of none other than the survey corps


	2. Chapter 2

"YOUR vertical manoeuvring skills were excellent," the leader of the survey corps group complimented, all four of the ruffians now on their knees in the dirt and sewage water of the lower section of the underground, "Who taught you?" Neither of them responded, refusing to make any form of eye contact with any of the soldiers. Realising he wasn't going to get any answers, he stepped forward towards Levi and asked if he had ever received military training. Once again, he didn't receive an answer from the (seemingly) emotionless man. Turning to his comrade, the leader spoke "I'd like to avoid any rough treatment if I can."

Face first, Levi was shoved into a dirty water puddle which startled the remaining three. He showed complete disgust being stuck into filthy water; being the germaphobe that he is, this was no picnic for him at all. Finally, Isabel had had enough of it "We didn't learn it from anyone!" 

"Isabel!" Persephone scolded slightly, but didn't stop Isabel from that point forward.

"You think we're gonna let some civil servant push us around?"

"My name is Erwin Smith, what are your names?"

Finally, Levi's face was pulled out from the water to which he was gasping heavily for air. "I applaud your determination, but keep it up and we'll move on to your comrades" Erwin threatened. At this point, blades were inching towards the necks of Farlan, Isabel, and Persephone which made them all very nervous but reliuctant to show it. Erwin repeated his question once more, to which Levi returned with his name. 

"Would you make a deal with me?" Erwin struck up.

"Deal?"

"I won't ask about your crimes, In return you will lend me your strength and join the survey corps."

"Oh fuck off Smith, don't try and be all nice now," Persephone spat, her words dripping with venom.

"Seph, shut up," Levi calmly countered. 

At the end of this encounter, Levi agreed and they were all released. 

With Seph on his back Farlan and the rest of them started making their way back to their home with both Levi and Isabel trekking ahead. Their base was not too far away from where they were interrogated and by the time so it only took a short amount of time for them to get home. Almost immediately, Farlan had took Seph to her room and then returned to the makeshift living room where Levi and Isabel were sat . They had been approached by a discreet group with a plan to kill Erwin under the circumstance the group would benefit from it.

"How is she?" Isabel asked, looking up at Farlan to which he smiled,

"She's just fine Isabel."

"I can still hear you ya know?" Persephone called from her room, causing them all to chuckle softly (even Levi, which doesn't happen often)

"I know babe, I know" Farlan replied.

And thus a plan was concocted for what was to happen the following morning.


	3. Chapter 3

"YOU sure don't look like a soldier!" 

"But she's on crutches! She'd only slow us down!"

"Titan bait!"

Whispers were thrown around as the four stood on higher ground in front of other soldiers in the survey corps. They were being introduced to the rest of the corps and Persephone was already being ticked off by the sheer amount of gossip being thrown around aimlessly. She got enough backlash in the underground for being disabled but she didn't need this from the others, she had a right hook that she was prepared to use without mercy. Crutches or no crutches. "I'm here to present three-" she let out a loud cough towards the commander "four, new recruits who will be fighting alongside you."

This, alone, seemed impossible to the others. After all, what could a girl on crutches all the time do to fight in the survey corps?

They were all introduced and assigned to their squad and given a brief tour of the area "This is the military barracks."

Exhausted with all of the walking, Persephone sat on one of bunks and rested her crutches on the wall nearby and eventually focused back into the conversation"Didn't I tell you not to cause trouble?!" Farlan yelled at Levi, making her laugh obnoxiously "But that's all he does!" She countered jokingly, only to receive a glare from Farlan. "Give it a rest, you haven't forgotten why we're here have you?"

Ah, the plan. The plan to kill Erwin Smith and gain a certain set of documents that they could sell. "Until we get our hands on those documents, we've got to do everything we can to avoid other soldiers' suspicions," Farlan reminded whilst taking a seat next to Persephone only for Isabel, whom had sat herself on the top bunk, leaned down to yell at Farlan "Stop bothering Levi again! We can just beat the stuffin' outta them like we do in the underground!"

"Quiet, Idiots should be seen not heard" 

"Hey! Who you callin' an idiot?!"

"Fine, what's eighteen plus twenty two?"

Counting on her fingers, Isabel attempted "Um...take eight...plus two...Carry the-"

"Ladies! You are both beautiful now shut up and someone help me to my room!" Seph groaned, loudly interrupting the thought of all of them, trying to get herself up but her tired legs simply refused to work with her.

"Geez, you can kick the asses of six guys in a row on your own but you cant even get to your room on your own?" Levi scoffed jokingly

"It's the paralysis, jackass"


	4. Chapter 4

"I'M shocked. I didn't think she'd get used to you so quickly"

"Nah, living in the underground I've gotten good with animals," Isabel gently patted the horse she was riding on. It was the next morning and they were outside testing out their new gear and learning how to ride horses, "The ones I have trouble with're people!" She joked. The cadet on the grass was curious as to what life was like for the four individuals underground. "The higher ups all put you down because you're from the underground...but it must've been hard for you living down there, right?" She asked. 

Isabel gave it some thought for a moment before responding "Yeah I guess...I was born and raised in the underground so for me livin' in a trash heap was normal," she said, briefly glancing over to Seph whom was sat on a horse trotting around at a steady pace, "it got to the point where I thought I was gonna die, but life's been better since Levi saved me from all that." She spoke of the older man highly, a spark in her eyes of admiration always surfacing. "What about Persephone? Isn't she a bit...difficult...to handle when she's always on crutches?" The girl chose her words carefully, not wanting to offend Isabel nor Seph if she happened to overhear, but Isabel let out a loud cackle gaining the attention of those around them (Which was just, Seph, Farlan, and another Cadet).

"Never underestimate Seph. She may need crutches, but she's a babe with mobility aid! She's take down more assholes using just her arms and the rest of her body than me and Farlan combined! Levi ahead of her by a few. The only issue is that she needs Farlan to help her around some places when her paralysis gets too much, but other than that she's tougher than any other able-bodied soldier!" Much like when she talks about Levi, the same gleam shimmered in her eyes about Seph.

Speaking of, she smiled at the praise she overheard from Isabel. Whilst it certainly was difficult to kick ass all the time and look glamorous doing it, she did have plenty of off days where she could only stay in bed and have cuddles from Farlan and whatever food that could be spared for her only for Isabel to smuggle up on her other side and Levi sat on a chair nearby when the rest had gone to bed late at night, making sure she was okay (Not that Seph would ever know that).

ZZIPPP

Cutting through the air like a blade, Persephone took to the skies and glided around the trees not once thinking of what the possible future could bring them all.


	5. Chapter 5

Several months later, every squadron was in formation nearby to the gates of Shinganshina, everyone was preparing themselves for the upcoming trip outside the walls. Levi, Farman, and Isabel were sat on their horses in formation whereas Seph was in a separate formation away from the trio much her disdain. Not long after their training had started, Persephone had been transferred from one squad to another due to her paralysis.

“Complete bullshit! Bullshit I tell you!” She yelled when she found out to which Isabel was in a state of shock “Just because I’m not as able-bodied as you guys doesn’t mean I’m no less capable!”

“Would you shut up already? What’s done is done” Levi complained, however Seph was having none of it

“I don’t care I will say what I damn well please!”

“Look, Seph, maybe its for the better! It’s not like your going to miss any action anyway,” Farlan attempted to defend, but Persephone was still pissed off to the point that she was almost stood fully up with her crutches seemingly bending at the ferocity of her anger.

“Piss off Farlan”

She was still very angry at Farlan, not just him but to her he fanned most of the flame, and don’t even bother to make eye contact with him. She only glanced over at Levi every so often, whom returned the look with brief reassurance. “Today, we take one more step forward!” The leader called to the troops, raring to go as the gates were pulled off the floor “Show me what you learned in training!” And with that, the head of the formations had charged ahead. A bright light overhead, the sun, shone in Persephone’s eyes as they charged forward. Her eyes widened at the familiarity of the field that laid before them, the air was so fresh and the breeze sliced through the racing bodies as the horses galloped ahead ‘It’s just like I remember it...’ she thought.

“TITAN SPOTTED” someone from ahead had yelled out, thus the loud thundering footsteps of the humanoid followed suit. It was heading straight toward them and eyed each and every soldier with a hungry look in its eyes only for a second titan to emerge from the forest to whence the previous came. A rush of adrenaline coursed through Persephone’s veins, so she yelled in confidence “Oi ugly! Over here!”

The second titan didn’t respond though and it didn’t seem like anyone was going to be occupied with it any time soon, too engrossed in the first one, so she took to the skies to which Levi followed a few seconds after and then the rest of the classic ruffians from the underground. The hooks of their gear stuck into the back of the abnormal titan, creating an opening for Farlan and Isabel to apprehend the humanoid to the floor using just the wires. The blades of Levi’s swords cut clean through the nape of the neck of the titan, rendering it as dead as a rusty door nail, leaving the rest of Flagon’s (the squadron the group were in before Seph was moved) squad in shock “No fucking way...”

Grabbing Persephone’s waist, Levi sat her on his own horse when they regrouped and continued on whilst her own horse slowed down to catch up with it’s rider. She still refused to look at Farlan, however she did yell to him “You did good out there babe,” for him to respond “Thanks,” and nothing more.


	6. Chapter 6

THEY set up camp in an old ruined castle for the night which proved more use than previously thought. The trio had settled down on the floor with a singular blanket for the each of them. “Do you really think he brought the documents?” Levi asked Farlan, the documents were the very same documents they were set out to find and sell. Farlan nodded, “I made sure of it” and then proceeded to explain how he knew of this.

But with Persephone, she was stood outside the ruined castle, looking at the barren field ahead with a sad look in her eyes ‘My whole life was spent out here, but not one of those memories was good...’ she thought, the phantom screams of her past made her shudder, and the tears of her future seemed to escape so easily in the present time. Eventually, after some deep thought, she hummed in glee when a singular happy memory surfaced and closed her eyes, imagining how and where her home would lie if it was still standing.

“What are you doing out here? You’ll catch your death!” A comrade told her, now with a full grown respect for her after her battle with a titan. Taking into account her terrible immune system, she took her comrade’s advice and slowly made her way inside and set her blanket down on the floor next to where she presumed her friends were also going to be ‘Seems they’re off doing something’ she thought sadly, and nestled down to sleep slumped against the wall.

“So you didn’t find anything?” A familiar voice echoed in her ears, making her slowly wake up and then instantly shut them and groan in pain. Almost like a routine, the three friends whom had returned from their search for the documents, huddled close to her in a form of discreet comfort. Farlan with one hand enveloped in his and Levi’s arm around her shoulder as they tried to hoist her upright between them, Isabel plopping Seph’s legs over her own. “The only possible thing left it-“

“To watch him at all times,” she finished Levi’s sentence for him, not opening her eyes once

“Well would you look at that, she’s decided to talk to us,” her boyfriend sarcastically said, only for Seph to scoff and rest her head on Levi’s shoulder.

“You are so lucky I’m in so much pain right now otherwise I would punch you”

A loud cackle was then heard in front of them, “Such a big threat. Don’t mind me, I was watching you guys at the crucial moment.” A brunette, another squad leader, with glasses and a big smile (borderline creepy) on her face. For a split minute, the group had a rush of panic within them only for her to exclaim and gush about how much she loved when they defeated the titan. Strangely enough, this comforted the paralysed girl into falling asleep. 

‘Maybe the loudness of the underground helps me feel at home...’

Noticing the girl was suddenly asleep, Farlan let out a soft chuckle and ran a hand through her hair “We’ll catch her up in the morning if she’s feeling alright” they all collectively agreed and eventually settled down to sleep the night.


	7. Chapter 7

MORNING had arisen and everyone was preparing their gear to leave. Seph was suddenly awoken from being shaken, her eyes opened ever so slowly only to cringe shut at the rising light. Moaning in pain, she covered her eyes and slowly shifted to her side “Come on Seph, its time to get up,” the soothing voice of Farlan whispered to her. It was one of those odd days were her poor immune system had turned against her and caused a terrible headache (however it was never this bad) rendering her on bed rest until she felt better. This was not one of those instances when she could stay in bed, she pledged her heart to humanity and promised to prove to those who hurt her that despite tripping on her own feet she can still be a fighter.

”I don’t wanna...”

”Do I need to carry you?”

She let out a soft grunt of approval and weakly lifted her arms up, to which Farlan lifted her up and cradled her until she had turned her head into the shade of his chest “Levi, can you take her stuff?” He asked. Without even repsonding, he did so and the tired group made their way to their horses.

“Are you still mad at me?”

”I think it was just the medicine talking...” she grumbled.

Before they set off, Persephone had been prescribed some special medication from Sina that she had to use sparingly. The commander was kind enough to get this for her after she had proved her worth. The only side-effect of these pills were that they caused severe migraines (as shown by this morning), possible seizures, and agitation. Why had she been given these if they cause such compromising side-effects, you may ask?

”It’s all I got.” She said to Isabel whilst sitting in the barracks together. Isabel had been the unfortunate contender to face the agitation of Seph the first time she took the pills, after further investigation she realised why and decided to ask her about it.

”I’ve felt immense pain in my legs for twenty three years, not being able to move them at all. If there was a single chance that I could possibly get rid of this pain for even five minutes, I would take it no matter what.”

”But why? Why does this happen to you, I’ve never seen this before.”

”Dunno...Was born this way. Parents died before they could give me any sort of explanation”

“I have a horrible feeling about today Farlan...”

After a few hours of riding, Persephone was the first to speak. “Cadet! Get back into formation!” Grumbling, she did as she was told, but that feeling of unrest never left. Eventually Levi and Isabel had come into line with Farlan and he told them what Steph had told him. 

“She’s probably just feeling a little sick...” Isabel stuttered, it was obvious that she trusted Seph’s gut...but how far would that take them?


End file.
